Parliamentary parties and other parties with substantial support[edit]

This list includes also parties which were represented in the last previous legislature and still exists as well as some banned or exiles parties (Cuba). Liberals might be active in other parties, but that is no reason to include a party.

See the remarks above about the criteria. Minor parties are listed below

There are very few liberal political parties in Algeria. Ahd 54 and the Algerian Natural Law Party may be considered liberal. The main Berber party, the Rally for Culture and Democracy (Rassemblement pour la Culture et la Démocratie) could be considered to embrace some liberal values.

In Malawi, the liberal character of the United Democratic Front is despite its membership of the LI disputable. The Democratic Progressive Party was formed in 2005 by President Bingu wa Mutharika after a dispute with the UDF. There were allegations that members of the former governing UDF did not adequately tackle corruption. It is unclear if the party will be ideological or personalist in style.

In many Latin American countries, liberalism and radicalism have been associated with generally left-of-center political movements such as Colombia's Liberal Party, historically concerned mostly with effecting government decentralization and regional autonomy (liberals were influential in the total dissolution of at least two defunct countries, the United Provinces of Central America and Gran Colombia) and separation of church and state. At times, the anti-clerical and secularist stances promoted by Latin American liberals have resulted in limitations on the civil rights of clergy or others associated with the Church (as in Mexico, where law still prohibits priests from public office). Liberalism in North America has a different background.

In the United States, the primary use of the term liberal is at some variance with European and worldwide usage. In the United States today it is most associated with the definition of modern liberalism which is a combination of social liberalism, public welfare and a mixed economy,[1] which is in contrast to classical liberalism. In the 19th century it was not a common term in American philosophy or politics, partially because the two main parties were a mixture of populist and nationalist elements. ("Conservatism" was not a common term until the mid-20th century as well.) The Democratic Party was the party of free trade, low tariffs and laissez-faire entrepreneurialism, while the Republican Party advocated national citizenship, transparency and government efforts to stabilize the currency. Liberalism in the United States was primarily defined by the self-proclaimed liberal presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt. While the emphasis on mutual collaboration through liberal institutions as an alternative to the threat and use of force remained consistent with international liberalism, United States liberals also claimed that individuals have a right to expect the government to guarantee social justice. This was in part a consequence of the influence of the ideas of British economist John Maynard Keynes on Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. The New Deal had the effect of stealing the thunder of social democratic forces and the necessity to prevent social unrest strengthened this development. As the term socialism was (and is still) commonly perceived as communistic (as in the ideology of the USSR), many to the left of center moderated their views, aligning with the New Deal liberals. The Democratic Party is identified as the liberal party within the broader definition of liberalism thus putting it in contrast with most other parties listed here. Democrats advocate more social freedoms, affirmative action, and a mixed economy (and therefore modern liberalism). The Republican Party experiences a somewhat fractured economic viewpoint with some members supporting strong free-market and libertarian views (and therefore economic liberalism) and others championing pro-business stances, though both sectors typically mix their fiscal views with strong aspects of social conservatism. The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the United States, (though still only getting 1–2% of the vote in congressional elections), and particularly centers itself on free markets and individual liberty, which is more in line with classical liberalism. (Main article: Liberalism in the United States and Modern liberalism in the United States)

In Uruguay, liberalism organized itself in the nineteenth century in the Colorado Party (Partido Colorado) nowadays a heterogeneous party, divided in factions ranging from conservative to social-democratic; however, its general profile is more or less liberal. (Main article: Liberalism in Uruguay).

In Burma, the National League for Democracy, observer CALD, a party with liberal and social democratic elements, became the biggest parliamentary party at the latest election. It won a parliamentary majority in the 1990 election but the result was not recognised by the military and the party was suppressed until 2012.

In Cambodia, the Kanapak Sam Rainsy (Sam Rainsy Party, member CALD, claims to be a more or less liberal party, though some dispute this and consider it a xenophobic party.

In Iran, liberalism is forbidden and its members have been killed in the past. The Liberal Democratic Party of Iran is forced to exist in exile (based in Sweden). (Main article: Liberalism in Iran).

In Israel, Shinui (שינוי, in English Change, member LI) is a strongly anti-clerical, market liberal party without parliamentary representation since 2006. One of its founders, some of its members, and many of its voters joined the new Kadima Party. The center-right Likud calls itself a "National-Liberal Party."

In Pakistan the Jeay Sindh Liberal Front is a nationalist, liberal and anti-fundamentalist political Party active in Sindh. Founded in 2015, it works for democracy, liberalism and freedom for Sindh. Sindhi intellectual, writer and politician Nawaz Khan Zaor is its leader.

In Austria, liberalism almost disappeared, when the Liberal Forum (Liberales Forum) became a micro-party before re-entering parliament in 2013 on the electoral list of NEOS – The New Austria, a new liberal party which it merged with in January 2014, a member of ALDE). Historically the now right-wing populist Freedom Party of Austria was considered to be liberal or national-liberal, and was a member of the Liberal International until 1993. (Main article: Liberalism in Austria.)

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, liberalism is weak, because of the domination by ethnic parties. A small and rather unsuccessful liberal party is the Liberal Democratic Party (Liberalno demokratska stranka, associate ALDE). More successful is the social liberaI and multi-ethnic Our Party (Naša stranka, associate ALDE).

In the Faroe Islands, the conservative-liberal Union Party (Sambandsflokkurin) and the social liberal New Self-Government (Nýtt Sjálvstýri) were or are aligned with the Danish liberal parties. In addition, there are two separatist parties: the liberal-conservative People's Party (Fólkaflokkurin, member AECR) and the market liberal Progress (Framsókn), founded in 2011.

In Greece, the liberal current disappeared, leading to liberals joining the centre-right New Democracy, est. in 1974 and the centre-left PASOK, est. in 1974, parties. Meanwhile, new liberal initiatives have been taken, like e.g. the purely liberal Liberal Alliance (Greek: «Φιλελεύθερη Συμμαχία», Fileleftheri Simmakhia), est. in 2007 and mostly liberal Drassi (Greek: Δράση, Drassi, member ALDE), est. in 2009 and Recreate Greece (Greek: «δημιουργία, ξανά!», Dimiourgia, Xana), est. in 2011. In the latest parliamentary election the social-liberal The River (Greek: Το Ποτάμι, To Potami) and the Union of Centrists (Greek:Ένωση Κεντρώων, Enosi Kentroon), claimer of Venizelist heritage, became the leading liberal forces (Main article: Liberalism in Greece).

In Ireland, Fine Gael are a liberal-conservative party whose platform encompasses laissez faire economic policies and, more recently, socially liberal stances on issues such as gay marriage. The Progressive Democrats was a conservative-liberal party with an emphasis on economic liberalism. In recent years the traditionally Irish republican centre-right Fianna Fáil (observer LI, member ALDE) has tried to rebrand itself as a liberal party, however the party membership remains conservative on social issues.

In New Zealand, there is no longer a pure liberal party, as in the past the Liberal Party was the first organised political party, and the Liberal Government from 1891 to 1912 was responsible for many reforms. Similarly to Australia, this party merged with more conservative and free market forces to form the National Party of New Zealand, in order to oppose the advancement of the democratic socialist New Zealand Labour Party. Liberalism nowadays refers to a support for individual liberties and limited government. The term is generally used with a reference to a particular policy area, e.g. "market liberalism" or "social liberalism". Unqualified liberalism is less common; in its extreme form it is known by the American term libertarianism. The left of centre New Zealand Democratic Party takes a more or less progressive liberal position in the spectrum, but lost popular support. ACT New Zealand is a classical liberal or libertarian party. (Main article: Liberalism in New Zealand).

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